**4.1 Existing indigenous genetic resources**

In Nepal, four indigenous breeds of goat have been identified and characterized. These breeds are distributed across various ecological domains of the country. They include Chyangra, Sinhal, Khari, and Terai [8–12] (see **Figure 1**). Characterization of these breeds is done based on morphological traits and mitochondrial DNA study (**Table 3**). Terai goats are predominantly found across southern plains and inner Terai (100–500 masl) from east to west of the country. Khari goats, also known as hill goat, are the principal goat breed found across the mid-hill region of Nepal at an altitude of 500–1500 masl. Kuwar [14] reported three distinct strains (small, medium, and large) existed among Khari population. Sinhal goats are abundantly available in high hills and mountain regions from 1500 to 2400 masl, whereas Chyangra goats are the dominant breeds across northern trans-Himalayan regions from an altitude of 2500–5000 masl from east to west.
